


True Family

by ilovecharles



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Mini, Period-Typical Racism, Romance, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 18:30:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19090690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilovecharles/pseuds/ilovecharles
Summary: A request from @lionsllamaslibb on tumblr.





	True Family

You didn’t miss your parents: not one little bit. They were the type of people that you’d spent the past few years avoiding like the plague – corrupted, prejudice, hateful. If they couldn’t respect the choices you made to stay happy, then were they even really family?

Your family was right here, in this camp, each of them with a story, and like you: they were just trying to survive. From Austrian loan-sharks to hopeless-romantic aspiring authors, even Cain the mutt had found his place, but your heart was devoted truly to only one, your husband, Charles.

He sat beside you on the riverbank at Clemens Point. His dark hair flowed gracefully to the sway of the wind, a long plait wound its way from the top of his head, collecting strands in its path. His hands fiddled with the metal of his shotgun, a rag in one as he rubbed away any dirt with his gun oil. Your own hands found their way behind his ear, tucking a wispy ghost orchid in the crook. At the gentle gesture Charles gaze shifted from his gun to you, his eyes looked at you questioningly, as if he was lost in thought.

He clicked the barrel of his shotgun into place and rest it at the holster on his hip. “My mother used to put hummingbird sage in her braids. Said it smelt nice.” The corners of his lips lifted at the memory and he brought the orchid to your nose, you inhaled the sweet scents of nature and purity that emitted from it. He did the same, sighing contently at the smell.

“You miss her.” You mentally kicked yourself for saying that, it was obvious he missed her, you halfwit. He replied with a simple nod before his brows furrowed in thought.

“You miss your folks?” He questioned quietly. You scoffed at the question, although you had to admit you did a little bit – they were repulsive, but they were still your parents, your blood. The way they’d treated Charles was abhorrent, and you’d forever feel guilty for it no matter how many times he assured you it wasn’t your fault.

They didn’t disprove because he was a gunslinger, a criminal: no, it’s because in their eyes in skin colour painted him a ‘savage’. Your father had disowned you for marrying him, claiming your interracial love was an ‘abomination’ in magnitude. Your blood would boil and you would feel physically sick whenever they spoke of him in such ways. It made you sad to realise that many others couldn’t see the beauty in the man you called your own, because of his skin.

Your attempt to mask what you really thought had failed, Charles knew you like the back of his hand. “You don’t have to pretend, ____.” He cooed whilst rubbing your cheeks with the soft pad of his thumb. Charles wasn’t the best with words, never had been, but his eyes did the talking for him: they bored into yours with sympathy and understanding, he’d never hold the choices of your family against you. You weren’t like them, he knew that. You moved your head slightly and placed a kiss against his thumb.

“I know, but-“ You paused in thought, cursing yourself for feeling this way. “I hate them Charles. I know hate is a strong word; but the way they spoke about you…as if you weren’t even there. Calling you those horrible names.”

“Horrible names? Gonna’ have to be a bit more specific than that, my love; there was a few.” His tone was light and playful, a small chuckle echoed from his chest. He’d obviously got over the events. What was left in the aftermath was a happy marriage and no opposition. You curled up against his chest, chuckling along with him in content. He brought up the ghost orchid and placed it in the palm of your hand before it over with his own.

You hadn’t seen them in a year, the last interaction had been your father shoving you out of the front door of your family home in Saint Denis. Your family were well established among society, especially your father as he worked with the military to demolish Wapiti for its reserves; if anyone high up had found out that his daughter was marrying a, as he’s put it, ‘darkie-redskin’ they’d loose any status they ever had. The cries of your mother from behind the door still haunted you to this day, fresh in your memory. Although, you held no sympathy for her either, she’d thought you just as low as your father at your love for Charles. Your siblings waved at you from their bedroom windows as you rode away upon Taima with Charles; both parties knowing they would never see each other again.

You watched the stillness of your clear blue water ahead, small fish rising to the surface every so often to attempt a nibble at the flies that flash past. Charles had taught you a lot about nature, more than the books you’d read back at the small library in your large family home. Your eyes followed the flight of the American white pelicans that flew above dipped down to catch at the clueless bluegills.

You sighed blissfully as his soft lips lay a kiss against your temple. “You’re the only family I need, Mr Smith.”

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my tumblr @i-love-charles!


End file.
